Cellulose Nanocrystals and the Depletion Interaction, Colloidal Liquid Crystals and Colloidal Crystals

Abstract

In this thesis, the production of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with an average length of 440 nm is reported, as well as the formation of tactoids of the cholesteric phase of the produced CNCs in the presence and absence of dextran. Moreover, the sedimentation of hollow silica cubes into rotator hexagonal phases at the top of the sediments and rhombic phases lower in the sediments, both in the presence and absence of CNCs, is shown through analysis of Small-Angle X-ray Scattering patterns.